


The Most Unlikely Heroes

by mediocre_writer921



Category: Escape the Night (Web Series), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Angst, Avengers - Freeform, Hydra, Infinity Stones, Learning to work together for once, S.H.I.E.L.D - Freeform, Slowburn Relationships, friendships, mcu - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-16
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:02:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26497594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mediocre_writer921/pseuds/mediocre_writer921
Summary: "The Avengers. It's what we call ourselves. Sorta like a team. Earth's Mightiest Heroes type thing."S.H.I.E.L.D Directors Ryu Fury and Jael Hills work together to form a team of Earth's Mightiest Heroes to protect their home planet.From gods to assassins to billionaires to space pioneers, the group is an interesting bunch.There's a small issue however. Not only do they refuse to cooperate with Ryu and Jael, they refuse to cooperate with each other.However, a large threat is coming. A threat that has their eyes on the ultimate prize. One that will change the course of the universe for the worse.Can everyone learn to get along? Or will they let their differences destroy everything they know?It's time for the Avengers to assemble.
Kudos: 17





	1. Our Worlds Are Crashing and Burning

**Author's Note:**

> Hello and welcome to 'The Most Unlikely Heroes'. Yes, this is another ETN crossover because I am apparently an expert at crossovers (please note my sarcasm).
> 
> ANYWAY, I hope you enjoy this first chapter! And no, I will not reveal who is who quite yet, you will find out as the chapter goes on. First up, Captain America! 
> 
> I'm sorry Steve Rogers, but you're getting the boot in this universe. Love you.

**1** **945**

**Somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean**

~~~

Joey crashed the HYDRA bomber into the middle of the Atlantic Ocean with a huge splash.

It started sinking beneath the icy cold waters, taking him down with the plane. Taking his hands off the wheel, the man in the red, white and blue suit leaned back.

There was no going back now. He could've survived this and jumped out of the plane, but he wasn't concerned about saving his own life. His duty came first.

Joey also didn't want to risk getting spotted in the waters by the wrong people and reveal the location of a top-secret plane of bombs.

And if he jumped out, where would he go? He couldn't stay in the freezing waters for long. Nor could he swim a hundred miles.

Even with the super soldier serum running through his veins. He wasn't invincible. Joey was human.

An enhanced human sure, but still a human.

As the waters rose, he took his last moments to reflect on life.

This was it. This was where he dies. Where it all ends.

Joey gets to finally know the question of what happens to a person after death.

He didn't fight back, accepting his fate. He knew death would come eventually and take him into their cruel embrace.

Better him than millions of New Yorkers. Too much blood had already been shed on the battlefields of this world war.

One dead body is better than millions of dead bodies. And if he didn't make sure this plane and all the bombs in it were destroyed, he could cause the Allies to lose this war.

New York was the port of call for most soldiers to be shipped to Europe. Aircraft was unreliable. So things were sent via ships.

Without New York, the Allies would instantly lose the war.

He almost laughed when his mind drifted to another thought.

Who would've thought the world would go to war twice in less than 50 years?

Joey didn't, if he was being honest. He also didn't expect to become the world's first and only super soldier.

He used to be just a lanky little lad who couldn't join the army. And now...he wasn't.

No one expected it. Yet somehow... it felt like destiny.

One last thing he didn't expect: to see his best friend, Colleen fall from the mountain train and die. Even if it was nearly a year ago, the thought of her death brought as much pain as it did a year ago.

_"Colleen! Grab my hand!" he shouted, reaching out towards her. His friend reached out to grab his hand, but the railing she was holding onto snapped and she fell, screaming on the way down._

_He watched as she fell onto the mountains below, closing his eyes as she fell, even though he couldn't make out her body in the snow._

Being a woman, Colleen was an outcast just like Joey. That's the foundation of their friendship. Having no one.

But then finding each other. Until he lost her. And she left him all alone.

Just when he needed her most.

He missed her. Spent the past year wishing it was him that fell instead. Colleen had a lover back home. His name was Erik. They were going to get married.

But then the war slapped them all in the face and tore them apart. Guess not everyone gets a happy ending. Least of all during a time like this.

Taking his last gulp of air above the surface, Joey couldn't help but feel a little joy. He was going to see her again.

Joey sank beneath the surface and didn't come back up.

Joey Graceffa was then declared dead to the rest of the world, his body never to be found. Never to be seen again.

~~~

**2020**

**New York City**

~~~

74 years after Joey Graceffa crashed the HYDRA bomber into the Atlantic Ocean, S.H.I.E.L.D agents found his body in the ice under the state of suspended animation. After 74 years, nothing has changed about him.

One day, his eyes flew open, seeing a ceiling fan spinning around in circles and hearing... a radio. He hadn't heard a radio in a while. Clearing his head, questions bombarded his head.

_How the heck am I alive? Am I alive? Where am I?_

He sat up from the bed, taking in his surroundings. He had no idea where he was, the place was completely foreign to him. The walls were half-green, half-white. There was a white nightstand with a porcelain lamp next to the bed he was lying in, with newspapers scattered. A pitcher of water was there too, but he wasn't thirsty. A vanity was in the corner, along with a radiator.

Joey then realized that the radio was playing a baseball game. He remembered that game. He was there. May 1941. But how could he be in here if he went to that baseball game? He couldn't be at two places at the same time. The super solder furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, sitting on the side of the bed.

_What...the...heck?_

A ginger woman walks in, a smile on her face. Dressed in 40s fashion. But something was off about her. It was too... modern. Her hair. Her tie. She shut the door behind her, saying, "Good morning." she glanced at the watch on her wrist. "Or should I say, good afternoon?"

Even the way she spoke was a little off to Joey. He asked the stranger, "Where am I?"

"You're in a recovery room in New York City."

He glanced around the room, not believing her. There was no way that he was where she said he was. Joey frowned and pressed, "Where am I really?"

She looked puzzled. "I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean."

"The game, it's from May 1941. I know because I was there." He narrowed his eyes at the ginger woman, suspicions growing. This was definitely not a recovery room. "I'm gonna ask you one last time- Where. Am. I?" He stood up, approaching the woman, who stiffened at his tone.

"Captain Graceffa-"

Two uniformed men came bursting into the room and charged towards Joey. He threw them into the wall, breaking it in the process. He stepped out, realizing the room wasn't real. It was merely scenery, a fake. He was just in a smaller room that was part of a larger room.

"Captain Graceffa, wait," the woman said, but he ignored her, wanting to get the heck out of there as soon as possible. And as far away from this unfamiliar place as soon as possible. He knew he couldn't trust anyone here, the woman who lied to him was a testament to that.

But how would he get the truth of where he really was if he couldn't trust anybody here?

~~~

"Captain Graceffa, wait!" the woman shouted again, voice getting farther and farther away as Joey ran. He opened the door, running straight into the streets of New York City.

"What the...?" Joey asked, puzzled. The outside world looked so... weird. Alien-like, almost. Futuristic.

Something told the super soldier that he wasn't in 1945 anymore. But if it wasn't 1945, what year was it? The buildings and objects around him looked far too advanced to have been made a few years after the crash...

Joey marveled at cars and everything around them. It was so different from what he knew, yet so fascinating.

Big screens were flashing advertisements, all in color. Strange, for he thought things shown on television and similar screens were all in black and white. Things have changed since he was in the ice. This wasn't the New York he knew.

If this place was New York at all. Black vans skidded around the man, surrounding him. He was trapped. He had considered running again, but then an Asian-looking man in all-black stepped out of one of the vans.

"At ease, soldier," the stranger said. "I'm sorry for what happened back there, but I thought breaking it to you slowly would be best."

Mainly because it's been 70 years. Who knows if Joey was still sane? Or if he was able to speak? Or if the serum had helped him or turned him into a vegetable.

"What do you mean, sir?" Joey asked, catching his breath from all the sprinting. The super soldier titling his head in confusion. He didn't understand anything that was going on.

And that terrified him.

"You've been asleep, Cap. For over 70 years."

His heart sank at the man's words.


	2. Everything Has Been Taken From Us

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, the power twins are next.
> 
> As Maria Hill puts it, "One's fast and one's weird."
> 
> Enjoy Scarlett Witch and Quicksilver's introduction chapter!

Nothing unusual was supposed to happen today. It was just a dull a Wednesday afternoon in math class. Jc sighed, tapping his pencil on his desk as his math teacher droned on about polynomials or something like that.

Jc wasn't really paying attention, he was trying to vibe his way through this class. I mean, who could blame him? It was the last period of the day. He watched the clock tick on the wall, the little thing somehow more fascinating than whatever his math teacher was rambling about.

If his twin, Safiya was here, she'd smack him with her textbook and tell him to pay attention.

Yes, you heard that right. Twin.

Ultimately, Safiya got the wonderful privilege of being born first. And has rubbed it in his face for as long as he could remember.

He hated that, but still loved her anyway. No matter how much of a pain in the arshole she could be. They were like two peas in a pod.

Well... more like two fetuses in a womb.

He made it weird, didn't he?

Jc didn't even notice that the end-of-the-day bell had rung until now. He sighed in relief, saying a mental 'Hallelujah'.

Getting up from his desk, he packed his things into his yellow bag and slung it over his shoulder.

"So glad the day is over," he sighed, adjusting his bag so it would sit more evenly on his shoulder.

Walking out to the school parking lot, he went to a black black sedan, where Safiya was in the car waiting for him in the driver's seat, texting someone on her phone with a bat case.

Normally, he would usually take his board home since Safiya had theater after-school, but apparently today it was cancelled from what she told him this morning. So she offered to give him a ride home.

She didn't look up as he slid into the passenger seat and buckled his seatbelt, engrossed in her conversation. Safiya had a small smile on her face.

The kind she gave to guys she was romantically interested. It was quite a rare smile, for Safiya was never really in the dating game, but every once in a while someone caught her eye.

Once in a while being 'once in a blue moon' considering most of the time she found fictional characters far more fascinating than real people.

"Who are you texting?" Jc asked.

"No one," Safiya answered quickly, a hint of pink on her cheeks.

He rolled his eyes and snatched her phone out of her hands. "Hey! You bohemian asshole! Give it back!"

Safiya reached for her iPhone 4 as Jc inched away from her reach, looking at who she was texting. "Oh, it's just your little boyfriend."

Her cheeks flushed even more. "He's not my boyfriend!"

"Mhmm, sure. I'm sure he will be. And when he does, if he ever hurts you, he better start regretting the day he was born."

She huffed, snatching her phone back and starting the engine. "I can handle myself, but that's very kind of you."

Jc turned on the radio and it started blasting the one and only, ABBA. Leaning back, the two twins made their way back to their home sweet boring home.

Life may not be the most exciting, but Jc liked it that way. No unexpected surprises will pop up and change his life for the worse. He could just sit back and relax.

As the radio blasted 'Dancing Queen' and the twins screamed the lyrics at the top of their lungs, they pulled up to an apartment building, where the Maximoff household was located.

Parking the car, Safiya and Jc grabbed their backpacks and started walking into the building.

"Seriously though, why don't you ask him out? It's not that hard. All you gotta say those six magical words, 'Will you go out with me?'. No need for a jumbotron or you wearing a mascot costume serenading the guy at a basketball game," Jc said.

Her lips curved and she shrugged. "I don't know. Scared of rejection, I guess?"

"No need to be scared of rejection. Worst case scenario is that he says 'no'. But if you never ask, the answer is also no."

Safiya gave him an amused look. "Always so wise. Thanks, Jc. Maybe I will"

"Of course. And if he says no, then you'll find someone better. Though if he's an android, I'd steer clear. Don't wanna be making out with a robot." He elbowed her and Safiya snorted.

"The day will never come where I date an android, let alone be romantically infatuated in one. What is this, 'Wall-E'?"

"But in the movie, both of them are robots." She frowned, turning the knob and openeing the door. "Damn, you're right."

They were greeted into the apartment by their mother, who beamed at them. "How are my favorite twins?"

"We're the only twins you know, Mom, " Jc reminded her. She rolled her eyes him and hugged them.

"Oh hush, child. Your father's going to be home in an hour or so. Why don't you start on your homework or something and come back down in an hour for dinner?"

"Alright." The twins headed to their rooms, expecting a normal evening and a normal family dinner.

Little did Safiya and Jc know that their lives would change in the next 60 minutes.

Merelely an hour.

Such a short time. Yet a lot could change in that small time frame . It's funny how fast life moves, doesn't it?

~~~

An hour later, a mortar shell hit the apartment building just as the Maximoff family reunited.

Safiya let out a scream and Jc cursed loudly, "Mother effing trucker." Their parents showed no reaction, getting killed on the spot.

While their children watched.

The two of them let out twin cries, too much adrenaline running through them to truly process what they just saw.

"NO!" Safiya yelled, trying to walk over to their parents, but Jc pulled her back by the arm.

That's when she saw the ceiling cracking and about to crumble down upon them, killing them too. "C'mon Safiya, we gotta get somewhere safer. We're gonna die if we don't get out of this room."

They heard another mortar shell crash in the apartment above them, making the ground rumble below them and the pieces of rubble fall down from the ceiling.

Even with all of this happening, Safiya couldn't move. She could barely hear Jc calling her name, the rest world of the world felt so far away. Tears slid down her cheeks and she let out a gasp. She didn't even realize he was moving until she felt her brother yank her arm.

Then she saw the mortar shell that killed their parents had the name, 'Patrick Industries' on it.

~~~

**2010**

**Swiss Alps** **, Switzerland**

~~~

Three days.

That's how long the twins had waited for the mortar shell to go off and kill them.

72 hours of watching the shell labeled 'Patrick Industries', haunting them of what became of their parents. Which Patrick caused this, neither knew.

Robert Patrick, founder and former CEO had passed away a few weeks ago. Matthew Patrick, his son, only took over a few weeks ago. So it could've been either of them.

Coincidence?

After those three days, the twins had passed out in each other's arms underneath all the rubble. And when they woke up, they weren't in Sokovia anymore.

Safiya's eyes flew open, her head spinning, vision blurring and clearing again.

The last thing she remembered was her parents being killed because of an invention made by Patrick.

_Patrick._

His family destroyed hers. Now her parents are dead. And her brother... wait... where is he?

"Jc? Where are you?" she croaked, her voice scratchy and sore. Safiya tried her best to sit up and take in her surroundings, but she did so too quickly. The dizziness returned and her eyelids fell heavy again.

~~~

The next time Safiya woke up, she felt a little better. Propping herself up on her elbows, she looked at her surroundings. It seemed to be some sort of hospital room. Looking down, the Sokovian noticed she wasn't wearing her own clothes anymore. Instead, she was in a blue hospital gown.

Getting off the bed, she wondered where Jc was. And if he was okay. Safiya also wondered where she was.

The dim lights flickered for a brief moment and her brown eyes snapped up. Frowning, Safiya knew she had to get out of this room.

"Good, you're awake," an unknown voice said from behind her. She whirled around in surprise, finding a purple haired woman standing in the doorway. The woman was quite pale, a sharp contrast to the dark red painted on her lips and the dark winged eyeliner on her eyes. She was shorter than Safiya, even with the heeled boots she wore. The stranger also had a rather odd color palette, donning a baby blue blazer, black button-up and bright red pants.

It was almost... clownish. The raven-haired girl realized that there was a second woman behind her, but she barely discerned her presence until now, for the second woman hid in the shadows behind the first woman. She was the complete opposite of the clownish woman, her look muted.

Brown, curly hair fell in cascades past her collarbones and hardly had any makeup on at all. She wore black from head to toe and Safiya saw a prosthetic arm on her left arm. The brunette wore a blank expression on her face, as if she was more robot than human.

"Who are you? Where am I? Where's Jc?" she bombarded the two with questions, needing answers.

"I will reveal more at a later time, but you can call me Kerrie," the purple-haired woman said. Safiya pointed at the woman lurking behind her.

"What about her?"

Kerrie gave her a smile, but it was forced. "She doesn't have a name."

Safiya narrowed her eyes. "Everybody has a name."

"Well, she doesn't. But you can call her Winter Soldier if you'd like." The teenager raised an eyebrow, but decided to let it go for now.

"What do you want from me?"

Kerrie stepped towards her, crossing her arms. "I want to give you an opportunity. One that humans can only dream of."

This sparked a curiosity in her. "What kind of opportunity?" she asked slowly, suspicious of her intentions.

Her grin widened. "Power."

Safiya frowned and shook her head. "Not interested. I'm not that kind of girl."

Kerrie held her hands up."Hear me out-I can help you get revenge on Patrick. I know he built those bombs that killed your parents?" The raven-haired girl froze and made eye contact with the stranger.

"How?"

She avoided the question. "Like I said, more later. I'm assuming you want to see your brother now? He's been awake for a while. " Safiya nodded, a little skeptical about the strange woman, but followed her anyway.

Revenge? That would certainly lower that bastard billionaire off his pedestal.

~~~

"Jc!" Safiya shouted, running over to her brother, crushing him into a hug. It was a strange sight for everyone, they knew those two were twins, but you couldn't even tell that they were at all. They looked nothing alike. "You're okay!"

He smiled and hugged her back. "Did you hear about-"

She cut him off, knowing what he was thinking. "Yeah, I did. I think we should talk about it. Alone. " She dragged him into his temporary quarters and shut the door. He could see a brunette woman with a prosthetic arm glaring at them murderously through the door.

Not creepy at all. Jc totally feels safe with her skulking.

"What should we do?"

Safiya shrugged, picking at her nails. "Don't trust them. But they can gives us what we want. I've looked around, seen logos and all that shiz. They're Hydra."

Jc blinked, having no idea what the hell that was. "Whom?"

Safiya sighed, shaking her head. "Did you not pay attention when they did that unit on World War II with Captain America and all those important people of those times?"

"I did, but I don't recall our history teacher bringing up Hydro, or whatever they're called."

"Hydra," his twin corrected sternly. "It was an ancient cult who had some weird mission to bring their deity, whom was their founder Hive, back to Earth after Hive was banished. It took many forms over the course of the years, but most notably, was a branch of the N*zi-German in the 1940s under the man named Red Skull. It was taken down by Captain America. They must have secretly rebuilt! Perhaps under S.H.I.E.L.D, since a few members have S.H.I.E.L.D stuff on them."

He looked impressed. "You could be a detective if you wanted to, Safiya. You'd be good at it."

She cracked a smile. "Investigative reporter is more up my alley."

"So you think we should accept? I mean... there are other ways. And we don't even know what exactly their deal is! How do we know that it isn't a trap?"

She frowned, thinking about it. "But if we don't accept, they'd probably kill us. Can't have two teenagers running around knowing that Hydra's still alive. And I doubt they would kill us, even if it's a trap. They need us for something. What for, we'll have to see."

That was when Kerrie walked in and asked with a grin, "So, are you in?" It was almost as if the Hydra member was listening the whole time.

They looked at each other, assuming that they were both on the same page. "Yeah. We're in," Jc confirmed.

**~~~years later~~~**

"Are you ready?" Kerrie asked Jc. He threw the Hydra agent a dark look, but nodded. "Of course, ma'am."

She had him sit in a chair and tied down in case the experiment actually worked and that he wouldn't end up hurting anybody. The two of them were in a small room in the lab and Jc knew that his sister was nearby, awaiting to be tested on.

He prayed that this would work, more for Safiya's sake than his own. For they were all the family they had left. All they had was each other. And if one died and one lived... well, there would be nothing making life worth living. Besides, he would hate it if she went through that kind of pain.

Their aparents' deaths were enough. Jc saw a light-haired HYDRA agent walk in, who he recognized as a man named Cody, who was about a year older than the twins. He never worked with Kerrie on the 'lab rats', so Jc never saw him. Only reason he even remembered him at all was that Safiya had a thing for him. They weren't official or anything, but did do a fair amount of flirting here and there.

But that's not important right now. What's important is that he might _die_ because he wants _revenge._

The things you do for a simple little goal. But if Jc survived, it would be worth it.

The agent held a syringe and a scepter in his hand.

Where it was from, he had no idea. But he was very familiar with it. He heard that S.H.I.E.L.D was taking care of this scepter, but Hydra stole it from right under their noses for their experiments. They always returned it so S.H.I.E.L.D wouldn't get suspicious and find out that Hydra was still alive.

Kerrie explained, "We're going to do this a little differently with you. All previous subjects have ended up dead, so we're switching things up. Let's hope this works. Otherwise-"

"I'm aware of the consequences that will follow, Kerrie. The power ate them up and destroyed them, killing them on the spot. I know the risks, I thought of them before agreeing to do this. Even if you didn't specify what you were planning then. Just"

Kerrie's lips thinned, not appreciating his little interruption monologue. Cody shot him a dirty look and Jc shut up.

"Don't order me around or I'll skip the sedatives and this will be more painful than it has to be," she snarled, before smiling, the 'friendly' persona returning.

The Sokovian watched wordlessly as the other Hydra agent closed in with the syringe and the scepter. His eyes fluttered shut and waited the pain to onslaught him.

Two needles simultaneously entered his arm. It felt fine, at first. Then a wave of pain came over him. He screamed in agony.

It felt like his whole body was being set on fire as the ache coursed through his body.

Jc subconsciously struggled against his binds, hearing guards yell and alarms go off. The needles had been removed, but the pain lingered, his arm throbbing. His heart pounded as his discomfort grew as the agonizly slow seconds passed.

His breaths were ragged and shallow and he tried to focus on his breathing to divert his attention from the pain.

The ropes snapped and at a leisure pace, it stopped. His screams faded into silence, Jc keeping his eyes shut.

He did it. He survived! Does that mean it worked?

Opening his eyes, as his vision cleared, he saw three dead bodies on the ground. He cringed, feeling sorry for them.

Unlike him, they died from exposure. "Kerrie? Cody?" he called out, noticing their absence.

The purple-haired woman walked in, clapping. "Congratulations Mr. Maximoff. You are the first subject to have managed to stay alive and absorb the power of the scepter. But it hasn't absorbed all of it so you will be confined to your room so you won't kill anyone else."

She looked down at the dead bodies on the floor and gestured to them. Kerrie turned to Cody and ordered, "Take him to his room."

"Yes ma'am."

~~~

Jc laid on the cot, wide awake. He had planned on going to sleep, he was exhausted and in pain, but he fought to stay awake.

He couldn't sleep the pain off until he knew if Safiya was okay or not. Or alive for that matter.

Jc hoped she was. The experiment worked on him, it should be fine. This was the same girl who broke his arm the one time he pulled a prank on her.

Lesson of that day was to never prank his sister again. He hadn't even tested to see what he could do yet, he was too drained. Perhaps Jc could figure out tomorrow.

His eyes fell heavy and Jc was too weak too fight his fatigue. That was when he heard footsteps outside the room in his hallway. He shot awake, suddenly gaining some energy.

The footsteps were coming towards his room.

"I'm surprised you're still conscious and on your feet. Your brother passed out," a male voice said.

"I guess I'm too stubborn to give into the darkness," a female voice joked.

Cody and Safiya.

He heard Cody chuckle and answered, "One of the many things I like about you. Your stubborness."

Jc knew Safiya well enough to know that she would blush at the compliment. He heard the footsteps stop in front of the door. "Thanks for walking me back by the way."

"It's not like I had much of a choice did I? Besides, I'd take any chance to get some more time with you. You also just took in the power of an Infinity Stone, so I can't have a pretty lady like you wandering around all by yourself."

"Well, I wanted to thank you anyway. Now that you've figured it out, are you getting more volunteers?"

He was silent for a few moments and then dodged the question. "Here's your room. Get some rest. I'll see you later."

Jc heard the door open and Safiya walked in, turning to Cody and saying, "Good night."

"Good night. Sweet dreams."

Before the Hydra agent left, he did one last thing.

He kissed her on the cheek.

~~~

A shadow appeared in the room where they kept the scepter. Muttering an incantation, they put the guards in the room to sleep, gently leading them to the ground so they wouldn't make any noise. Don't need to get caught.

Tiptoeing to the safe, the shadow pressed the password into the keypad. The safe opened and the shadow grinned, pulling out the scepter.

"Silly little earthlings," they chuckled darkly.E

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Moment of silence to those poor Hydra agents. Oh well, Safiya and Jc have their powers now!


	3. Red in My Ledger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up, Black Widow! Have fun reading and finding out who I cast as Black Widow :)

**2011**

**Belarus**

~~~

Madame B came in and removed the handcuffs from Nikita, freeing her. "доброе утро, Никита," Madame B said coldly. (Good morning, Nikita)

"доброе утро, мадам Б" Nikita answered. (Good morning, Madame B)

Madame B left without another word and Nikita sat up from her bed, not even flinching at her raw wrists.

The tears stopped coming a long time ago.

However, it still ached no matter how many nights she spent handcuffed to her own bed. That was how they prevented the 'students' here at the Red Room Academy from escaping.

To put it simply, the Red Room Academy is a top-secret Soviet brainwashing and training program for young women located in Maryina Harka Forest.

From hand to hand combat to acrobatics to weaponry to tactical skills, the girls chosen are put through strenuous training on a daily basis.

There are a few other special treats as well such as two girls being selected to spar to the death, watching video projections that brainwash you and being sterilized upon graduation to become 'better assassins'.

Oh, and when the girls train in firearms, the targets are often real people.

As you can tell, it's a very _warm_ and _loving_ environment.

Ignoring the throbbing pain in her wrists, Nikita forced herself to face another torturous day and keep her head up.

~~~

Breakfast was a blur and soon, she found herself changing into a black leotard and pink ballet flats. Nikita tied her hair into a bun, sweeping baby hairs out of her face.

It may sound strange for a future assassin to be doing _ballet_ of all things, but there's a reason for it.

The ballet is there for these young women to become 'unbreakable', for the instructor has them practice the routine again and again and again.

Standing up, Nikita murmured, "Пора задушить людей моими пуантами." (Time to go strangle people with my pointe shoes)

Her lips curled into a small smile at her joke as she walked into the dancing room, walking towards a barre, seeing a dark-skinned girl with curly black hair trembling. She looked like she was on the verge of tears. Her head was bowed, avoiding looking at anything and anyone.

Nikita looked at her curiously. The girl looked about her age yet seemed so _young_ at the same time. Standing next to the girl, she asked, "Hi there, I'm Nikita. Do you speak English?"

The girl shrinked away from her, flinching. "A little. English isn't my first language. I'm Mariam," she murmured in a heavy Parisian French accent. "I'm assuming your first language is French then?"

She looked up and nodded slowly, brown eyes looking afraid of Nikita. She almost felt bad for the girl. Almost.

"Bienvenue dans la salle rouge, Mariam." (Welcome to the Red Room)

"Merci, Nikita." (Thanks, Nikita)

Nikita was completely unaware that Mariam was a S.H.I.E.L.D agent working to infiltrate the Red Room. And that Mariam wasn't her name at all.

Her real name was Teala Dunn. And she spoke English just fine.

She recalled what happened this morning after she was 'brainwashed' and they 'wiped her memory'.

_"Bonjour chérie, peux-tu me dire ton nom?) Hello there darling, can you tell me your name?) " the blonde woman asked, her blue eyes boring into the dark-haired girl's. She was relieved to see another familiar face. Justine had been under disguise at the Red Room for nearly three years, gathering information, planning S.H.I.E.L.D's attack on the program, finding it's weak spots._

_Now that she was ready, S.H.I.E.L.D brought Teala in to help her out. And in a few weeks, another will come in. Back-up agents were stationed on small missions close enough to be able to rescue them in case all goes to hell._

_"Je ne me souviens pas (I don't remember)," she lied._

_"Alors tu ne te souviens pas de ton nom? (So you don't remember your name?)"_

_"Pas manquer (No miss)."_

_"Sais tu où tu es? (Do you know where you are?)"_

_"Non. (No)."_

_"Tu te souviens de ce qui s'est passé la nuit dernière?(Do you remember what happened last night)"_

_Teala wanted to say yes, but she wasn't supposed to say yes because she wasn't supposed to remember, so she just repeated the same dull answer and Justine droned on. Finally, she got to the part where she told Teala who she was._

_"Your name is Miriam, no last name. You are a very skilled ballerina. You are to do everything we tell you to and to not ask any questions. The man you will meet is your father and you are to call him your father. He will be one of your instructors. There is also a woman who is an instructor and you shall address her as Madam B. My name is Jennifer. Follow me to meet your father in his office. He will show you your dormitory."_

Some time later, Teala was in her room, listening to what Agent Hill was telling her through her earpiece. "Made it through the first day without dying, Agent Dunn?" Jael asked dryly and she rolled her eyes.

"I'm tougher than I look, Agent Hill. I'm fine. For now at least."

"I know you are. Be careful. One wrong move and you have a school of assassins against you. S.H.I.E.L.D won't be able to help you in time Teala, if they find out."

Teala nodded, shoulders tensing. S.H.I.E.L.D had entrusted her with such a big job even though she was one of the youngest agents. They needed someone about the same age as the girls here so it wouldn't be too suspicious. This was almost like a test of her abilities. If she could complete this successfully, perhaps she could start gaining some more respect and not get looked down upon.

"I won't mess this job up, Jael. I promise. Now if you excuse me, I have to go. My new roommates are going to come back any minute and I can't get caught. You coming in a few weeks to help right?"

"Yes, I still am. Try to not die while you're all alone." Teala snorted. "I won't, Jael. See you in a few weeks?"

"Hopefully I'll see you in a few weeks. But if it ends up not being me, it'll probably Agent Amaro."

"Alright. Thanks." The earpiece went quiet.

~~~

Teala work up with a start, feeling pain on her wrists. Then she remembered that she was handcuffed to her own bed. The other girls were sleeping peacefully in their own cots. And she was the only one awake. It dug into her skin as she shifted, the skin red and raw. A few drops of blood dripped off the cuffs.

"Je vois que tu t'es réveillé, (I see you have woken up)" a woman Teala recalled being named Madam B, a key in her hand.

"Lève-toi, il veut te voir (Get up, he wants to see you)." She unlocked Teala from her handcuffs and she winced at the pain.

"Oui m'dame (Yes ma'am)," Teala mumbled. "Je suis désolé, qu'est-ce que c'était?" She put an ear to her hand, not hearing the spy.

"J'ai dit, 'Oui madame', (I said, 'Yes ma'am)," Teala repeated a little louder."

"Bonne fille (Good girl)." The woman smiled menacingly, noticing the look of pain on her face."Vous vous y habituerez, éventuellement. Ils le font tous. (You'll get used to it, eventually. They all do)"

She followed the woman, keeping up her meek act. 

**~~~weeks later~~~**

Chelsey opened the truck for and slid into the driver seat, looking around. "Mother effing trucker, I can't believe I did it," she whispered into her comm.

"Told you everything would be fine and that you shouldn't be such a worry wart," Justine grumbled on the other end. "I've been undercover for years. You think I would screw this up?"

The S.H.I.E.L.D agent sighed and hissed, "Well sorry for doubting you. You know how dangerous this is. We're not even supposed to _know_ this program exists! But we do and we're trying to tear it down, get these girls normal lives and stop any more from ending up like them! Did you believe I'd be worry-free?"

"I was hoping that you'd have more confidence in my abilities," the blonde snapped. "Besides, we have back-up if things go to hell. Now, focus and try not to die before you even step foot into the Red Room."

"Okay, okay. Let's hope those extra Russian lessons were worth it." 

"I hope so." Chelsey looked out the truck window and pulled her cap more over her head, adding on black aviator sunglasses. "Target spotted, Luke Lebedev's coming into the truck with a little girl, looks around 6 or 7 ish."

"Appearance?"

She squinted to get a better view, leaning against the window. "Hispanic-looking girl, black hair in a ponytail, brown eyes, golden brown skin. She's wearing a green plaid dress with an apron over." 

"Is that it?" 

"Yep. Now shut up and let me drive this darn thing to the Red Room. Meet you in the lab?"

"I'm always there. Good luck, Chelsey."

"Thanks." Justine went silent on the other end and Chelsey looked out as Luke and the little girl approached the military-grade truck, getting in. She couldn't help but notice the way that the man held her hand, almost possessively. The girl had a mix of expressions on her face. Fear, sorrow, pain, helplessness... 

"I'll get you out of this. I promise," she whispered to herself, noticing the mess of tears staining the girl's cheeks. She couldn't help but frown as she turned back, fixing her eyes on the road. Turning on the engine, the agent started making her way towards the Red Room.

~~~

Outside a large stone building, Justine watched a truck pull through the heavily guarded gates, fiddling with a sack in her hands. The gates were about fifteen feet tall, so it was rather short, but was reinforced with razor wire. She saw Luke and the little girl Chelsey described. But the agent was nowhere in sight. 

"Слушай внимательно, Далила. Я должен надеть этот мешок тебе на голову (Listen carefully, Delilah. I have to put this sack over your head)." He motioned for the blonde woman to step forward and the agent in disguise handed the sack over, knowing how this would go. She felt sick. Because this wasn't even the worst part. But she had to stand by and not blow her cover.  
  


"Это место совершенно секретно, поэтому я должен отвести вас туда, чтобы вы его не увидели, хорошо? Не волнуйся, я все время буду держать тебя за руку (This place is top-secret, so I have to lead you in there without you seeing it, okay? Don't worry though, I'll be holding your hand the whole time)," Luke explained, voice oozing with fake sweetness. Delilah nodded obediently, oblivious to what was about to happen. In the corner of her eye, Justine saw a brunette woman with aviator, glasses and a guard outfit on, glaring right at her.

Chelsey... so she did survive after all. She refrained from giving her co-worker a proud smirk, keeping her expression neutral. The two agents followed as the man and child walked into the building, walking through a seemingly endless maze of halls, tunnels and stairways. Her ears popped when she made it into a familiar room deep underground. Her fellow S.H.I.E.L.D agent grumbled behind her, not used to walking through this place. Luckily, the Red Room leader didn't hear her.

Luke took the sack off the raven-haired girl's head and knelt to her eye level. "Вы хотите остаться здесь прямо? (You want to stay here right?)" The girl bobbed her head and he grinned. Most would mistake it as a friendly smile. But if you look closely, his eyes leave a completely different message from his smile. "Ладно, хорошо. Если хочешь остаться, тебе придется пройти для меня это небольшое испытание. Ты можешь это сделать? (Okay good. If you want to stay, you're going to have to pass this little test for me. Can you do that?)" 

Delilah nodded again and the dark-haired man's grin widened" Отлично. Я хочу, чтобы ты вернулся к грузовику. Без посторонней помощи. (All right. I want you to find your way back to the truck. Without any help)."

The brunette agent's mouth dropped ever so slightly and she glanced at the blonde, but she showed no surprise, as if she'd seen this happen many, many times before. Without missing a beat, the young girl left, the man following and standing out the doorway. 

"How in the hell-" Chelsey said in disbelief. 

"I don't know, don't ask. This is a program to train girls to become assassins, did you expect the test to be easy?" Justine heckled testily. 

"Well no, but I can't even make my way out of this laybrinth and I didn't have a sack over my head!" 

"I know. I was relieved that Teala passed when she came in." 

"Has she been-"

"Brainwashed? No. The rest of them are, but she isn't."

"How did-"

"I was the one that 'brainwashed' her. I didn't brainwash her at all actually, I did something else."

"Like what?"

"Like-"

Luke opened the door and the two shut their mouths, ending their discussion "Все готово для девушки, доктор? (Is everything ready, doctor) " he asked Justine. 

"Да, сэр, все готово к работе. Вы хотите, чтобы я еще что-нибудь сделал для вас? (Yes sir, everything is ready to go. Is there anything else you'd like me to do for you?)" Justine replied, a strange formalness replacing her usual demeanor.

"Нет, все хорошо. Просто следуй за мной, и посмотрим, как у девушки. (No, it's all good. Just follow me and we'll see how the girl does.)

"Да, сэр (Yes sir)," Chelsey answered, saying as little as possible

"Давай, давай. Посмотрим, как поживает наша маленькая черная вдова. (Come, come. Let's see how our little black widow is doing.)."

~~~

There was something beautiful about the way Nikita moved. She was impossibly graceful and light on her feet as she fought. It was funny how the girls in the Red Room were so close and almost like sisters, but then again, what kind of sisters kill each other for training? This was the situation she was in now, sparring against a red-head named Natasha.

The two assassins took a fighting stance, the blonde had a blank expression on her face, pulling her sleeve more over her arm to cover what appeared to be burn marks.

The red-head almost had a look of regret on her face, knowing what was about to happen. One of them was about to die fighting the other. The girls crowded around, Teala being one of them. She took a shaky breath.

She'd never witnessed one of these fights in the Red Room, but she knew what would come. And it made her feel sick to her stomach. Yet Teala couldn't blow her cover and ruin the mission.

She had to let the fight go on. The agent looked around in horror at the girls around her, neutral expressions on their faces. Like it was normal to watch two people fight to the death. Two _children_. Technically teenagers, but still children nonetheless. Even the young ones didn't seem fazed.

The curly-haired girl wanted to cover her eyes, but she knew she musn't. So instead, Teala watched. Nikita made the first move. Movements as light as a cat's she flew to the ground and swiped her leg in a circle, knocking Natasha off her feet. Trained for this kind of attack, her opponent fought back. This went on for a while, for these two girls were pretty neck-to-neck competition.

Ironically, both came into the program at around the same time. Practically grew up together. Were always the instructors' favorites. Both were extremely skilled at ballet and gymnastics and was skilled in almost any weapon.

It was a tough call, no one knew who would live and who would die. Nikita flipped over the girl's shoulder and grabbed her head, flinging Natasha to the ground like a rag doll. Surprised by her strength, the red-head struggled as the blonde sat on her, preparing to strangle her. But she hesitated. She had started to let the girl go.

In a last attempt to escape the clutches of death, Natasha threw Nikita off her. She let out a shriek, head slamming on the ground. Blood stained her light hair as her opponent tried to jump on her and strangle her, but she was faster, getting back onto her feet lightning quick. Throwing her back onto the ground, Nikita nearly slipped on blood, but didn't let that stop her. Teala could've sworn Nikita mumbled, "I'm sorry" to the girl, but she wasn't sure.

She stepped on the girl's spine, breaking it. Natasha died on the spot.

Teala prayed that she wouldn't witness such a thing ever again and that in a few short days, this nightmare would all be over.

She saw Madam B's lips thin into a line and she grabbed Nikita by the arm. She yelped, the woman touching her mysterious burn marks. Teala wasn't sure what the burn marks were from. But it didn't seem like an accident by any means.

Noticing that everyone was retreating out of the room, she followed the crowd and blended in and deftly slipped out to follow Madam B and Nikita to see what was going on. She saw that the two were heading to Luke's office. 

Teala got an idea, recalling Luke having a vent in his office. And there was one in the hallway. Luckily, there was a few chairs nearby too. Reaching up, she took a coin she kept in her pocket for unknown reasons, but it was handy at times. Quickly unscrewing the screws, she pulled herself up, checking to see that there was no one in the hallway.

Then again, the girls were supposed to be on a killing spree right now so the coast should be clear. Crawling through the vent, she let her other senses guide her, for she could barely see. Then she heard voices and stopped, recognizing them. She saw the room and ducked out of their sight in case they looked up. 

"Вы проявили милосердие (You showed mercy," Luke said cuttingly and she heard Nikita gulp. "Она была моим другом- (She was my friend-)," Nikita argued and he interrupted her, not having any of it.

" _Милосердие_?!? Я не потратил все эти годы на то, чтобы научить вас проявлять _милосердие_. Не говоря уже о том, чтобы привязываться к своим товарищам по Черным вдовам.( Mercy?!? I didn't spend all of these years training you for you to show mercy. Let alone get attached to your fellow Black Widows.)"

"Я знаю. Клянусь, этого больше не повторится. (I know. It won't happen again, I swear.)"

"Это просто слова. Мне нужно, чтобы ты доказал мне, что этого больше не повторится. (Those are just words. I need you to prove to me that it won't happen again.)

"При всем уважении, сэр, я думаю, что наказание преподаст ей урок. Она готова к выпуску. Я могу назначить врачей-(With all due respect sir, I think a punishment will teach her a lesson. She's ready to graduate. I can have the doctors set up-)," Madam B suggested. 

"Нет, у меня другая идея, (No. I have a different idea)" Luke said sharply and Madam B fell silent. "Класс в сеансе, верно? (Class is in session, correct?)" He looked at Madam B ominously.

"Да. Что ты предлагаешь? (Yes. What do you suggest?)"

He didn't answer, grabbing Nikita by the arm and dragging her out of the room. Teala scrambled to turn and get out of this vent, knowing that this couldn't be good.

~~~

A few minutes later, Nikita was in the room, dancing. Her movements were fluid. She turned elegantly in tune with the music. But it wasn't your usual melody, with violins, cellos or any instrument in that family. No. The music was the sound of humans.

Not singing melodically, but screaming. 

Until they could scream no more, falling dead. 

She was killing them. All of them.

These people who she considered sisters. Meeting their end. By her hand. Never living a full life. They wouldn't have a real life any way. It would probably be spent killing and spying and espionage. They would be tools for the rest of their lives anyway.

It was incredible how Nikita was so outnumbered, yet that wouldn't matter in the end. The Red Room was redder than ever, blood staining the floor, walls, furniture _everything_. The girls were still fighting against one of their own. One of the killing machines turned against the other killing machines. 

'She couldn't possibly kill them all, could she?' they thought. Well... they were wrong for the most part. She had a tiny little blade, but that tiny little blade did more damage than anyone could've thought it would.

Twirling and flipping, she made deadly blows on all her unfortunate victims. At this rate, bodies were dropping like flies. Nikita darted between one of the girl's legs, cutting a tendon, causing the girl to fall down. She plunged the knife into her fellow Black Widow's heart without a second thought.

One of the girls hesitated, not wanting to hurt Nikita. 

Hesitation will get you killed, Nikita thought as she noticed other things. Slight hesitations, aggression that led to mistakes, overconfidence. And soon, they all fell dead. Exhausted, she collapsed to the floor, then remembered that they all weren't dead.

There was that one girl she met... a few weeks ago... she scanned the room, noticing she wasn't there. "Miriam," she breathed and her eyes rolled back, falling unconscious. 

Once the screams had ceased, Luke and Madam B opened the door, grins wide. "I think she's ready for the serum."

They didn't notice the blonde who was behind them, eyes wide in fear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I took inspiration from the comics for this one.


	4. Experiment Gone Wrong

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up: Manny/Hulk origin story.
> 
> Spoiler alert: it involves a circus. And yes, it's a reference to season 3.

**2011**

**Asgard**

~~~

Heimdall, as the watcher, heard all and saw all that went on in the Nine Realms. In his long life, he had thought he'd seen everything. Heartbreak, betrayal, great love, great hate, mighty warriors and battles to decide the fate of entire societies.

But this...this was new. And like a chariot accident, he could not bring himself to look away.

"Is there something wrong, my friend?" Oli asked him.

If Heimdall was not Heimdall, he probably would've gone _'by tHE ALL-FATHER'S POOFY WHITE BEARD, HOLY F*CKING YGDRISILL, YOUR HIGHNESS YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BELIEVE THE SH*T I JUST SAW!'_ But instead what came out was: "Merely an interesting development on Midgard, my Prince."

Odin may rule the Nine Realms, but Heimdall was the king of understatements.

~~~

**2011**

**Somewhere in United States**

~~~

In a laboratory somewhere in the United States, stood a tall, raven-haired man wearing a white lab coat, green pants and a pair of black boots. His name was Manny Gutierrez. He was currently working on his latest experiment.

The scientist was holding up two beakers, examining the liquids in them.

In his right hand, he held a beaker full of blue liquid. In the left, he held another beaker, but this time it was full of yellow liquid. Transferring the blue into the yellow to combine both liquids, the concoction eventually turned green.

He smiled in satisfaction, knowing that he was close to finishing. All he needed to do was place it in the growth ray and it will be complete. Ready to be tested and approved. Manny was confident it would work just fine, gamma was one of his many specialties.

Setting it down, he paused for a moment to admire his creation. All of a sudden, a fellow scientist burst in, named Maria burst into the room, ruining his peace and quiet. A look of fear and anxiousness was painted on her face. "Manny, we have to get out of he-"

An explosion went off, sending the scientists crashing to the ground, hitting the growth ray. "B*tch-" he said as it fell to the ground too, beakers and other test tubes joining the party.

 _Great. Just great. Didn't know somebody was testing explosives near my lab._ _Really now?_

_Explosives?_

This would go on the list of _best days of his life._ Getting to his knees, he was hit by a blast of green ray.

_First explosions, then getting whacked by my own experiment. What's next, me turning into a monster and being hunted by the government?_

Manny let out a bitter laugh, though it was soon replaced by coughs. In the corner of his eye, he saw a fire starting a few feet away from him. Sprinklers went off in the room, smearing his make-up.

"You have got to be kidding me," he moaned, reaching out to touch his face. "This ain't a look, I am no Jackson Pollock painting."

He was getting furious. The explosion happened in _his damn lab,_ and no one bothered rescuing this poor, fair maiden?

The audacity of it all! (Manny didn't count Maria, she fled like a dog as soon as the explosion happened)

His experiment will never even be tested and completed now, all his hard work was ruined.

His anger was boiling now, not only at others but _himself._ Why couldn't he be strong enough to get out of there sooner?

That was when he snapped.

Manny lost total control, his chocolate brown eyes fading into an emerald green. His pale skin was turning into a sickly green.

Then, for the very first time, he hulked out.

~~~

**2014**

**Gotham, New York**

~~~

If there's anything Nikita hated more than breaking a nail, it was circuses.

And it just so happens that Fury wanted her to go to a circus to find a guy they called, 'the Hulk'. Who that guy was, Nikita had no idea, she was in Belarus in an assassin program that made her kill all her fellow Black Widows.

But thanks to Teala and a few other Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division (or for you uneducated tweebs, S.H.I.E.L.D) agents, that didn't happen. And so she was hired by S.H.I.E.L.D and has been working with them ever since. Guess they wanted her to work for them for her formidable resume, not trying to brag.

And so instead of being an assassin, Nikita turned into... a spy. Not much of an improvement, if Nikita was being frank.

Oh well, at least she's not hired to _murder_ people. Most of the time. The former assassin tensed up at the thought.

_In a last attempt to escape the clutches of death, Natasha threw Nikita off her. She let out a shriek, head slamming on the ground. Blood stained her light hair as her opponent tried to jump on her and strangle her, but she was faster, getting back onto her feet lightning quick. Throwing her back onto the ground, Nikita nearly slipped on blood, but didn't let that stop her._

_"I'm sorry," she whispered. "It's either you, or me."_

_She stepped on the girl's spine, breaking it._

Before Nikita could backslide further into her anecdotes, she shook her head, trying to devote herself to her mission. Even if the sound of screaming and pleads for mercy resonated in her ears.

She pursed her lips, shoving down the guilt in a box that was like Pandora's Box, one where she isn't supposed to open, but ends up opening anyway. Despite the fact that the Red Room was long gone, whilst those in charge and the girls who were fostered there were dead, it wasn't like when she first arrived to the academy, where her memory was obliterated.

No, those recollections were embedded in her brain and will stay there until the day her body is buried underneath the ground just like every other person she deprived of life to get to this exact episode of her life. Well, unless there was nothing left of them to entomb.

To give a succinct account of how the heck she ended up on the 'good guys' side, Teala and a few other agents infiltrated the Red Room because they had been waiting to strike, then found the perfect moment when they planned on giving one of the girls a replica of the Super Soldier Serum that Captain America had injected him long ago during World War II, the War Against H*tler-

It's a long story for another time.

They were supposed to eliminate her as well for her association with the organization, but Teala spared her and insisted that Fury recruit her. To give her a shot at redemption, a second chance at life.

Plus, it'd be handy to have someone like her at S.H.I.E.L.D, Teala had claimed and eventually, the pirate wannabe agreed.

As much as the Black Widow would love to tell her whole life story, she's got a job to do. And that requires a few disguises and tricks, watching her steps and always being on her guard.

Luckily that's what she's been doing her whole life.

~~~

One of many reasons Manny was stuck here was because he pissed off the wrong people and went into hiding, but was at the wrong place at the wrong time, so he ended in this egregious place he calls hell. 

Stuck in an old-fashioned and ornate wooden cage, painted orange, red and blue. There was a large sign labeling him as 'The Monster.'

With his dirty and raggedy black hair, purple sweatpants that had without a doubt seen better days, shackled from head to toe, chains around his neck, wrists and ankles, barely recalling the last time he'd been fed and the way he never looked up, he looked completely harmless and could hardly even stand, let alone be a 'monster.'

Fortunately, 'the other guy,' hasn't decided to come out yet despite the raging storm that stirred in the ex-scientist. Manny hated it when the other guy took control because it made him feel so helpless. He hated that all he'll ever be is 'The Monster,' now. 

It's not like he could kill him either, even if Manny wanted to. It wasn't because it would take the human part of him with it, but because nothing could kill the Hulk. As much as he wanted to get out of this blasted stockade, it was better in here than when he was a part of the show. 

To have an audience watch him as circus workers jab him with long, sharp metal sticks through the bars of his prison. And flesh would tear, blood was spilled, panic heightened, and suddenly those massive gauntlets and shackles were the perfect size for an enraged, terrified man the size of a bear - probably bigger.

And the crowd was just laughing at him. Laughing like they've never seen something more entertaining in their lives as the creature threw things in rage trapped in his cage. 

And just like that it was over, the other guy shrinking back to regular old, broken Manny. Shaking with both dread, shame, exertion and all things in between, sobbing about the things he'd just done, even if that wasn't really him. 

But after five minutes, he would glue himself back together and sit back in his wistful stance at the center of his enclosure as he was wheeled away. 

There was another act going on, one which Manny had heard was a new one, but didn't hear anything about who it was. There was no roaring laughter to be heard, so Manny assumes the audience is in awe. 

Thankfully, his guards left their posts for their act and after a minute or so, a pair of footsteps could be heard. He learned to recognize everyone's footsteps, and these were unfamiliar. No doubt the person heard of him and came to taunt him like everyone else does.

"Um... hi," a female voice said and his eyes snapped up, seeing a woman, who was maybe a few years younger than he was, he would guess 20 or so. Dark red hair fell to her waist and she was wearing a spandex trapeze costume. A duffle bag was resting on her shoulder, likely ready to change out of her costume, but made a stop here. She didn't appear particularly friendly, but 

She was definitely new if she was coming to his cage.

"Hello," he replied, not wanting to be rude. He was a little bit dizzy and a lot bit cranky, and he was still bleeding from several lacerations and would continue to do so for probably another hour until someone came to tend to him with a washcloth on a stick, but he didn't want to be rude. This was the first conversation he'd had in months.

"I'm Nikita," the trapezer said. She didn't bother with a last name. They didn't mean anything here anyway. Even first names were a unusual. Most people referred to each other by their stage names, it kept things impersonal.

"Manny," the man responded, and he seemed a little more relaxed. Nobody had asked him his name in a very long time. This girl was stupid, but probably special.

His hands resting on his knees started to fidget, touching his thumb to each of his fingertips.

"You hungry, man?" Nikita asked, fishing in her bag for a granola bar. Manny didn't argue when she slid the morsel between the bars, but didn't make a move towards it. Despite the fact that he could slip his hands out of the massive shackles, seeing as a whole watermelon could have fit with room to spare in one of them, he remained perfectly unmoving. He watched Nikita with careful eyes the whole time, but didn't so much as breathe harder.

"I'm on a specific diet," he said carefully.

Nikita lifted an eyebrow at the man. Manny was so thin he should be jumping at any food he could get. The guy was half starved. And he was turning down a granola bar?

"What for? Trying to lose weight?"

Manny didn't look amused. "Specific nutrients. Don't want to throw myself off my routine." He looked down at the wrapper more closely. "And I don't like peanuts."

"Your loss." Nikita said, taking the bar back. She quickly opened it and took a bite. "So what do you eat then? Lots of veggies so you'll grow up big and strong?"

Manny didn't reply, flinching and Nikita knew she made the wrong move by making that quip. "You're going to get in trouble if anyone sees you talking to me. The staff doesn't like to acknowledge I'm human. It helps them sleep a night. You're not nearly important enough to keep around if you're found breaking their biggest unspoken rule. I don't want you to get fired because your humanity had you itching to talk to me."

Nikita laughed, entertained by his response. This guy didn't know the first thing about her. Being human wasn't exactly the first thing people usually thought of when they thought of her. After the life she's lived, she doubted there was any real humanity left in her. That would mean giving a damn about other people and she didn't. At least she could ignore it long enough to put a bullet through someone's head. 

"I don't care if they fire me. I'm here to have a nice chat with you out of my inquisitiveness," she bluffed. "Don't get ideas, this doesn't mean anything."

_Yes it does because Fury gave you a job and you need to get this guy to S.H.I.E.L.D one way or another. Whatever happens to him after that, you couldn't care less. He's a mission._

"If it doesn't mean anything then you can turn around and walk away right now," Manny tested, peering at the agent in disguise. 

"Maybe I will." Nikita huffed, but made no move to leave. She took another bite of her bar, eyeing Manny, trying to figure him out. She was good at reading people, another necessity she had developed over the years, but she wasn't getting anything from this guy. The man seemed like a blank slate. At least on the surface. 

There was something more to him, Hill mentioned before she left for Gotham that he was some gamma scientist, which made Nikita think he was at least in his thirties, but Manny turned out to be only a few years older than her at most, which stunned the spy. 

"If you're not going to say anything, you're not going to throw anything at me, and you're not here to laugh at my scars, then you should just go." he said after a long moment, breaking eye contact and ducking his head in his usual position again. 

"Where you from?" Nikita asked because it was the first thing that popped into her head, needing to gain his trust. She didn't really care but it had sounded like Manny was challenging her. And Nikita Dragun never backed down from a challenge.

"I'd rather not talk about my previous life," Manny answered vaguely. 

Nikita shrugged and kept talking. "I'm from Russia. Raised in a tiny town in Belarus."

That was... a half-truth, really. If you count an academy to be a tiny town. Sure felt like it. 

"I didn't ask." He can't help but sort of like him, against his better judgment.

"Well, you seem like you need a friend. Go on, ask me whatever you want. I can't promise it'll be the truth but I guarantee you'll be entertained." Nikita finished off her granola bar and stuffed the wrapper into her bag, crossing her arms.

Manny's head snapped towards a noise in the distance that sounded like someone knocking something over, and his pupils dilated a small amount.

"Please, leave," he said firmly. "Please."

He didn't want to like this girl. He didn't want to have anything to look forward to. He didn't want anything to worry about. He didn't want connections, and if this girl kept on with his silly questions and honesty, Manny was going to want to be friends with her. He'd managed a very long time without friends and it was the easiest way to live his life.

Nikita nodded and started to ease back into the shadows. Just before she was out of sight she shot a smile at Manny.

"Same time tomorrow, big guy," she said and then she was gone.

As if it was all a dream. 


	5. Lost in the Galaxy of Stars

**2014**

**Xandar**

~~~

A tree, a racoon and a child of Nicholas was currently been chasing and hunting Mortimer right now.

Definitely a great day to be alive. "Come on, man," he complained.

He was trying just vibing to 'Come and Get Your Love' on his cassette tape, prancing around a planet Morag so he could steal the Orb and sell it to Broker, but the Broker denied him because some guy named Arthur and his goons were after it.

And then these people were chasing him, one trying to take the Orb and the other two he had no clue why they were chasing him!

Mortimer wasn't looking for trouble! Even if he was breaking quite a few laws and now had Yondu pissed at him-

Okay fine, he was trying not to get caught. But he did. And now these weirdos are trying to snatch the Orb from him.

And it was _not_ because they wanted to return it to Morag like any good saint would. Right now, his life felt like a sci-fi movie!

A few seconds ago, the infamous Calliope tackled him! Oh and flung him off a bridge. With the Orb in her hands. But he snatched it back.

Then the tree caught him.

"I am Groot!" the tree said, offering him a friendly smile. "I am Starlord," he answered, confused.

Then Groot started wrapping his branches around Mortimer's torso tightly. "Please let me down."

"Not so fast, buster!" the raccoon shouted. Amused, Mortimer asked, "Who are you supposed to be, Ranger Rick?"

The raccoon bared his teeth at him in a snarl, letting out a low growl.

 _Note to self: Raccoon doesn't like to be called Ranger Rick_.

Groot swung the Earthling over his shoulder like he was nothing and began following the raccoon. "Let me go!" Mortimer growled, struggling under his grip.

"No way. Groot and I are gonna be rich once we turn you in!"

"Turn me in? To who?"

The raccoon didn't answer, whistling merrily. Mortimer yanked a loosely hanging branch from Groot. Whipping it at the raccoon, he successfully stopped the him in his tracks.

"I'm gonna ask you again-Who am I wanted by?"

He shrugged "If I knew, I'd tell you. But I don't so, we're just gonna turn you in and get the money."

The human sighed, feeling defeated. Then he got an idea struck him. It was a dumb idea and felt more like a last ditch Hail Mary, but it was worth a shot.

"Hey Groot?" he asked.

"I am Groot," Groot answered. "Can you put me down? I can walk by myself. I won't run off, I promise. "

If only promises meant something to him.

Groot considered it for a moment, then put him down. "Thanks man."

And thankfully, this all happened without the talking raccoon noticing.

If Mortimer was honest, he felt kinda bad for deceiving the tree. But he had to do what he had to do.

"I'm sorry buddy."

He started running. Turning towards town square, he knew he had to get to his ship, the Milano.

Then, the one and only Calliope launched herself from the bridge, chasing after him. With amazing grace and agility, she landed on him, tackling him to the ground.

Again.

In the distance, the raccoon and Groot were chasing after him as well. The Orb rolled out of his bag and Calliope and Mortimer were reaching for it-

That's when the Night Corps arrived.

~~~

**Kyln Prison**

~~~

_Today was one of her few days off. Even Alison was permitted to explore their newfound turf while Nicholas and the Crystal Order scoured another doomed civilization that Nicholas 'saved' by wiping out half the population. Eventually their presence would be required to pick up the pieces, but for now, the girls were allowed to roam freely._

_As the sole survivor of the Zen-Whoberis, Calliope's surroundings threatened to tempt the childhood out of her._

_A coat of red dust covered the ground underneath her feet. She could taste the sweetness of the air rich with nutrients in every breath. Surrounding her were trees that seemed to be as tall as the orange sky itself, forever reaching, beckoning upwards. Behind them peaked the planet's two enormous suns, engulfing half of the skyline._

_It was beautiful. Peaceful. Like nothing could ever go wrong here. If only she could ignore what was going on in the distance, all the blood that will be shed, the families that would mourn, the screams that will carry through the wind if you listened closely._

_This seemed like a paradise, one Nicholas undertook the burden of creating._

_She wanted to run._

_Calliope was, of course, still an adolescent. Yet at ten years old she had been exposed to more war and depravity than any of the sorry souls the Titan killed._

_Sometimes he made her watch him. She had a front row seat too, right on his shoulder. He would force her to look at the spilled guts and blood of the perished, those who he killed and those who were already dead when they arrived. 'Look,' he would bellow. 'Behold the almighty universe in all of her glory. This is what people die trying to protect. Look and understand, daughter. You must prepare. Look!'_

Calliope deviated from her fantasies, dragging her feet against the floors of the Kyln while rabbit-looking asshole that called himself Crusty was prattling about escaping 23 different prisons or something along those lines. She really didn't seem to care, the adopted daughter of Nicholas had other things in mind other than some sad little vermin. 

One would think Calliope was thinking about all those prisoners who would indefinitely attack her for being Nicholas' daughter (note that she's adopted/abducted) and infamous assassin. And if by some chance you lived under a rock and didn't know who Nicholas was, he's got a bad reputation if Calliope was to sugar-coat it. While that was all accurate, she had more a relevant issues to have qualms about.

First and foremost being Mortimer effing Wilson and that _Orb._

That Orb was her ticket to liberation from the Crystal Order, from what her father does. She's hated every day of her life since Nicholas took captive of her. Adopting didn't even seem like a right word, hence why the assassin never calls him 'father' or consider him to be any kind of caretaker. Yes, he raised her to be who she is, but he's still a _captor._

She was going to sell it to a woman they call 'The Collector' in Knowhere. As the name expresses, The Collector collects weird junk that no one but her cares about. Least she's offering 4 million units for the Orb.

"You're lucky the Night Corps arrived otherwise Groot and I would've turned you in to Yondu by now," Crusty carped and the Earthling rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to die because of a tree and a raccoon. If there's a list for 'least intimidating attempted murderers' you guys take the cake."

"What's a raccoon?" Crusty questioned at the same time Groot repeated, "I am Groot."

The raccoon sighed and looked at his companion. "It's an expression Groot, there's no cake."

"First of all, that's what you are, you prat and does this guy say anything other than 'I am Groot'?" Mortimer replied.

"Well he don't know talkin' good like me and you, so his vocabulary is limited to "I," and "am," and "Groot," exclusively in that order."

"That's gonna get real old real fast," Mortimer complained, "If I took a shot every time he's said that today, I'd be dead by now."

As the boys quarreled, she took a moment to look at the human one out of the three. If Calliope was honest, she's never seen a Terran before, they keep to themselves.

Or more accurately, they don't know that other species like them exist at all, she hears that they believe they're the only planet that could contain life.

Are all Terrans that dumb? She couldn't imagine accepting that as gospel. Then again, this guy ends up here, why is he the only one? Sure, there are some who _look_ like him, but alas, he's just a lone wolf. She wondered how the heck this guy ended up being a Ravager.

Noticing her staring, Mortimer turned around to her. "What?" he asked and she simply answered, "I've never met a Terran before. Are all Terrans like you?"

"Is... that supposed to be an insult or a compliment?" She deadpanned and answered bitingly, "What do you think, darling?"

"I'll assume it's the former then. And I wouldn't know, I haven't been on Earth in 26 years." He spun back around again and before Calliope could ask anything else, he switched subjects. "So this Orb has this shiny blue suitcase, kinda has Ark of the Covenant Maltese Falcon vibes-"

"I am Groot?"

"He asked you to speak in frickin English, please. Except Groot didn't say, 'frickin,'" Rocket translated as he got a displeased glare from Groot.

Mortimer, forgetting that these guys would have never heard about it, explained, "It's from an Earth movie." 26 years and it still amazes him that he's never seen another Terran.

"Oh. That makes sense."

It didn't make sense to the raccoon.

"Anyway, what's the big deal with this Orb? Why were you so adamant to take it from me?" Calliope didn't answer the question, instead saying, "I will provide no answers to an honor-less thief."

"So high and mighty coming from someone like you, a genocide maniac," Crusty cracked and Groot agreed, "I am Groot."

Calliope didn't flinch at the comment, knowing what he said had a smidge of factuality. Instead she fired back coolly, "At least I'm not a test subject for illegal genetic and cybernetic experiments."

He bared his teeth at her, growling. "You bi-"

Before he could finish, a Night Corp shoved yellow uniforms in their hands. "Get changed," he ordered.

~~~

When Crusty was shoved out onto the main floor, itchy uniform clinging to his fur, he saw eyes drift to him—to the _animal-vermin-rodent-beast_ that was unnatural. The raccoon bristled at their gazes. At least he could talk again.

"Stop f*cking staring at me or I'll rip your eyes out!" he roared, curling his fists up. The chatter abruptly stopped and eyes were averted. Mortimer gave him a 'chill-out' look, Calliope didn't seem to take notice and Groot flashed his tiny comrade a sympathetic frown.

This prison cell is the most secure cell there is, 1,050 miles from the surface dug by the Night Corps, the masters when it comes to digging. Walls made of stainless steel move in in a circle 2 meters deep in all directions, then reinforced concrete 500 feet in all direction, armed guards watch 24/7, armed with laser, tear grenades, samurai sword, bullet and laser proof shirt, pants, shoes and a helmet that also blocks of hypnosis. The guards are all the highest level in karate, Taekwondo, and Samurai sword practice, there is a chute for food which comes down in bottles and water comes down a separate chute and then the chute closes.

Fortunately, he had already come up with a plan to break them out and did discuss them with Groot because quit frankly, he was the only person that was credible and couldn't care less for Crystal Order genocide maniac and a Terran Ravager.

Precisely because of the exchange they had earlier.

"So, is everything set for tonight?"

"I am Groot."

"Ok, Groot, but that's the most important part. We need that capacitor! It's crucial to the whole, ya know, boom part!"

"I am Groot, I am Groot. I am Groot?"

"Yes, you dummy!"

"I am Groot!"

Rocket threw his hands up, giving up. If Groot didn't get the capacitor, he'd do something else. What a pain in the ass... good thing for Groot he was a quick thinker.

"We can... I think we can do it without it. Give me the night."

"I am Groot."

Crusty yawned and said, "But first, a nap. This beauty needs some beauty sleep."

"I am Groot."

~~~

_Crusty woke up, cramped, cold and wet, for the first time feeling as if he knew that these things were not good. He didn't know why they were not good- just that he wasn't comfortable. A gut instinct. He let out a whine and felt something stuck at the back of his throat._

_Cold, he thought, and the thing stuck inside of him made a series of beeps and clicks._

_Suddenly, three Large Things, not things like him, they were upright and glinted under the dim light, came to his side, seemingly from nowhere. He certainly didn't smell or hear them coming._

_"The subject has voiced displeasure at being below an ideal temperature. Shall we remedy or observe?" one asked, tinnily._

_"Let us provide the needed comfort," responded a second. "He will be tested much over the coming cycles, and without time to rest and recuperate, we will lose him to his own sanity."_

_"That is only a possibility, given prior information. We do not have enough to conclude."_

_"The lowered body temperature," interjected the first, "Seems to be due to partial rejection of the installed hardware from 5 standard hours prior. He will need to be cleaned and monitored. A heated enclosure upon completion of the diagnostic and repair would be advisable."_

_"Similar conclusion reached," commented the second._

_"This unit still asserts that monitoring conditions for at last half an hour is ideal," protested the third, but the first had already picked up the small creature by the scruff in its claw, and rolled down to the operating wing to monitor the unit though the centralized testing mainframe._

_Rocket never really liked any of his wardens, but he liked Three the least._

~~~

He shot up, fur on edge. _Safe, you're safe. Just a nightmare._

But that wasn't completely true. Now when that nightmare was a memory of the past. He scanned the room, prisoners asleep all around him. Groot sat upright, thin branches anchoring him to the wall, a drop of sap leaking from the corner of his mouth. _Good, didn't wake him this time._

There was no point in trying to get back to sleep; only more nightmares would await him. Crusty merely just sat there, getting back to his plan to get the heck out of here. And maybe, just maybe, considering the other two to come along. Just for the Orb and the bounty.  
  
  


And for no other reason other than that.   
  
  


~~~

Mortimer sat awake, unable to sleep either, unable to turn off his mind. Today was a strange day, like any other day in the past 26 years since his mom died. But it was a good day. Because it didn't end in death.

Only prison.

Even after all these years, her death felt like a raw wound, mainly because he never got the closure he wanted. You could say that Mortimer Wilson was your average protagonist in a movie; always having parent issues.

His mother was dead and his father was who knows where. The Terran didn't even think he was alive, no matter how rapturously his mother spoke of him. Came from the stars, she claimed. He'd never forget her last day on Earth. And his.

_The more steps the young boy took into the hospital, the more his heart ached. Hecould feel this was the night everyone had been dreading and fighting to prevent, the night his mother would pass. A young Mortimer got to the waiting desk that sat right outside his mother's room and froze. The first few weeks she stayed here for treatment, he'd come rushing in with a smile on his face and stories to tell because Mortimer knew that would make her forget about the hospital bed and the IV tube in her arm and the constant beeping of machinery for a moment, and a smile would grow on her face too._

_It wasn't until her stay extended past a a month did the light in her smile fade and she started to lose herself. Seeing her lose strength every day started to become unbearably painful for the child. Now, he dreaded facing her. His grandpa sighed sympathetically at him when he noticed he stopped. Mortimer looked up at him and managed a smile, forced of course. "I'll come in, just give me a minute, okay?"_

_"She's not gonna be mad about your eye," he admonished his grandfather._

_"I know."_

_"You plannin' on going in?"_

_"Of course."_

_His grandfather pulled one headphone away from his ear, interrupting his Beatles song. "What, after you finish your brooding songs? I don't think so."_

_He swatted his hand away. "I'm not brooding."_

_Usually he would continue to bicker with him, but he knew there was no time for that."Alright, just know nothing can make her happier than you. So only a minute," he smiled softly and continued into the room._

_~_

_"No. No!" Mortimer screamed as his grandpa dragged him out of the room. The walls felt like they were closing in, like the ground beneath him was crumbling down. He sprinted down the halls, past doctors and nurses and alarmed patients, not caring if they gaped at him._

_"No. Mom, no." Mortimer reached the middle of the field and fell to his knees, choking on tears, "Mom!"_

_He wiped the tears from his eyes again, but they wouldn't stop coming. He looked up to the sky and remembered his mom's words, "Whenever you look up and see something beautiful, whenever the stars are bright, know I'll be right beside you, and I will see it too. So never stop looking up. Never stop seeing beauty."_

_But there was nothing beautiful tonight. He'd looked up at the sky from the field almost every night since his mom had stayed there, and the stars never failed to dazzle. But tonight, the sky was completely black right above them. Maybe it was some weird cloud, or a trick of the light._

_Suddenly the dark part of the sky lit up and tipped down with a deafening groan, shining down spotlights, all centering in on Mortimer. He tried to look up, but the light was blinding._

_That was the last moment he'd remember of Earth._

~~~

Mortimer felt a tap on his shoulder and saw the raccoon next to him, a mischievous glint in his beady eyes. "What do you want?" he snapped.

"What do you say we break out of this place tonight?" The raccoon grinned.

**Author's Note:**

> The next chapter will be featuring a certain pair of twins ;)
> 
> Any guesses on who they are?


End file.
